Currently available high pressure fluid pumps can include plungers that reciprocate within a high pressure chamber to pressurize a fluid in the chamber, and can further include check valves to allow fluids into and out of the high pressure chamber. The pumps typically include seals between the plunger and an inner wall of the chamber and between the check valve and the inner wall of the chamber to prevent high pressure fluid from leaking out of the chamber. In such pumps, the seals must be able to operate in a high pressure environment, withstanding pressures in excess of 10,000 psi.
Currently available seal designs include seals disposed within the chamber and backup rings to support the seals. As the pressure range of high pressure fluid pumps is extended up to and beyond 100,000 psi, improved seal designs may be desirable. For example, some current seals may concentrate high loads in a portion of the high pressure chamber that is subject to wearing. The high load may cause early chamber wear, allowing fluid to leak past the seal and reduce the efficiency of the pump. Furthermore, some current seals may allow the wall of the chamber and/or the check valve to erode, which may cause early chamber wear.